Portable clothesbasket



NOV. 13, 1951 H HlEB 2,574,563

' PORTABLE cLoTHEsBAsKET Filed Aug. 2, 1948 2 SHEETS-'SHEET 1 NOV. 13, 1951 H |||EB 2,574,563

PORTABLE CLOTHESBASKET Filed Aug. 2, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Nov. 13,` 1951 :PORTABLE :CLOTHESBASK'ET applicanonnugust 2, 194s,'seria1.N0..41,'932

(Umso-4s) "2 "Clalina L'Ihe 'principal bj'ect of my invention is to pro*- vide an elevatedcontainer .that may 'be used either as a `.clothes .hamper or ,'cloth'es 'carrying device. v v i .A further-bjet'is to provide a 'clothes "or like hamper .that is sanitary, 'o`f"li'g'hit 'weight,"a'nd .rust proof.

A .still [further object of 'this "invention is to provide a 'hamper Lthat 'when `not in use, may .be folded for compact storage.

.A still further .objeet of this 'invention Lis to provide a transportable 'clothes 'hamper that has no sharp edges orpo'ints'rto catch -or damage'either Vthe user or the clothes dfthe user.

Astill vfurther o'b'jec't "0T "my invention 'is tojp-rovide Va jportable elevated hamper or -like :that -due to its elevation `eliminates 'substantially all .'stoqp- "ing or Vvbending *herebeffore 'required 'of la vhouse" Wife doing a washing. l l

A 'still further object of my invention'js wto 'provide a clothes 'hamperhaving a fabric container and metal Vsupport that is "so designed 'thatwhen y folded 'and lifted, the Tfabric "container will '-be properly held `and supported within "the Vmetal frame regardless vof the angletheframe is held.

A still further `object of"my.invention ist'o'gpr'ovide a clothes i'hamper "that --is Arenedlin vlappear- "ance, durable in use/and economical inimanuacture.

'These `and other objects vvill Lbe appa-rent "to those skilled in 'the'art l My invention consists :in the construction, *arrangement, and combination Vof the variousjparts of 'the device, whereby the objects contemplated 4are attained Vas hereinafter more'ffully se't forth, pointed out in -my claims, and `illustrated Lin *the 'accompanying drawings, `in which:

Fig. '1 is a'perspectiveview of my *device ready for use. l

Fig. 221s atop -planyiewfo'f the nizleviceand more fully `illustrates its construction.

Fig. 3 isla =side *viewof my ham-per in fol-'ded condition. n

V'Iherehave'fbeen manytypesof hampers'soldffto the general public. Most of thelnhav'e beenbjectionable -for one reason Jor another. Usually Yth'eyeare of the non-collapsible type'thaltrestson the iloor. As such, they are diflcult to pick'up and carry. and rthis especially true when they are used 'to carry Wet washed clothes from the basement to y.the-drying line. -.Even after reaching the clothes drying line they are objectionable, as it is necessary to vstoop over 7to ge't each individual washed item prior to "hangingth'e same on the line. '.These itwonbjections are most important when it is realizedthat most clothesare washed in the basement, .carried up .a fflight of basement steps, and thenhung on an. outside drying line. Not only are su'chihampers'lacking in utility,.but are the cause of .serious falling accidents on the Abasementst'eps. Still another ob- .jection tov such hampers is` their weight. Tolim- .2 inate such 'excessive weight, some hampers are made of Wicker or like Weave. .However, .even these 'are objectionable, fin "that they can .not 4be safely 'carried at 'the side of the user, are :non- "ioldalcle, jan'dusuallyfhave a'su'pporting bench or means which lcertainly can ,no't well 'be lpacked along With the hamper when the 'ha'mp'er "with 'clothes is .being brought "up 'from the "basement Furthermore, "such wicker splinters, and Apmx/mes dangerous 'slivers capable .'o'f 'damaging both user yandthe users clothes. 'I'have overcome all 'such 'objections'by providing alight, 'one unit, folding hamper Which I Will l'now Adescribe 'in detail.

'The .nun'rieral .'l 'designates J'an inverted U- shaped frame ,preferably So'f aluminum Vtubing or aluminum '.pipe. The numeral I'I .designates 1a second inverted "U #shaped frame .similar to the frame 'I'D 'exceptits centerportionis slightly less `vin Width so 'that lthe frame I `I 'can Seperate 'inside the iframe T0 A.as .'shownjinthe drawings. Also "the side leg `portions 'o'f vthe l'frame H are "slightly longer 'than ith-e .side leg portions of the 'frame .'l`0. When the device Tis 'in open condition "as shownin Fig. l, the twoflegportions vof 'thejframe l0 will cross the twfo leg portions `of .the frame TI, thereby 'forming an X Support "at eachside. vAny suitable'meansgmay be .usedlto pivotthel'eg gp'ortons di the two frames Atogether at lthepdint .w'here 'they .cross each other. In the drawings I show a yrivet T2 extending 'through each side pair of 'cross legs. On the ends fof the two legs o'f the iframe i0 L-I secure Wheels f 3, 'and on 'the ends o`f the itwo legs .of 'fthe iframe 'IL I .secure rubber or "like socket "feet Il. Obvious'ly, 'if 'de- 'sired, Wheels.'maybe."mounted on the ends .o`f`all "the legs, or the feet M maybe .used on vallfour .any suitable 'flexible .material As uch .as .canvas and when open is roughly a container oi .rectangular appearance. .jAt each ofthe 'two top .ends 'Uftheha'mperis a'fla'p .T1 designed to Iextendover fand around the 'twio center portions of I the iframes yill) 'and "H respectively. Anyisiiitablemeans may tbe employed Vtosecurethesejlapendsfaroimd and .to fthe "frames '|11 [and II. Inithe drawings; .use

ordinary separalole. glove "snapjfastieners TB .on the `flaps .and I.rim .base of the hamper LIB. By this means "it is .a simple. .matter to remove .or .replace .a vhamper .on .the :frame `unit. .By this r.construction the bag or hamper will *be supported be- 1 .tweenthe .extendedcentral portions .of lthe frames I and I I, as shown in Fig. 2. Due to the chains I5, the hamper will not limit the opening of the frame unit, thereby the hamper will not be unduly stretched nor torn. As the hamper is flex-` ible, the frame unit may be collapsed as shown in Fig. 3. This is desirable for shipping and storage purposes, but is even more desirable for carrying purposes. the device is used for carrying clothes or like.

However, when any weight is in the hamper and hamper as shown in the drawings. These bands -1 are secured at each end and extend horizontally to the outer side of the pair of frame legs adjacent to it. When the device is picked up as shown in Fig. 3, the top band will come into play and Support and alignV the hamper properly in the frame unit. If the device is turned over, the other band will become uppermost and will thereupon come into effective use. By this arrangement the folded hamper device, by grasping eithn er pair of side legs, may be easily carried with its load at the side of the user, thereby not only facilitating its portage, but providing an unobstructed view forward of the user. This is especially desirable when going up or down stairs and when it is necessary that the user be able to see each step. Because of its light weight, the entire device is moved as a unit. This means that the user, whether in the basement or at the clothes line will have an open elevated clothes container. By having the legs of the frame II, longer than the legs of the frame I0, they will strike the iioor or like prior to the time the wheels on the frame I0 strike. This eliminates any skidding of device when it is set down, either in folded or expanded condition. By the frame being of aluminum, it is light and rust-proof for basement use. Although have described my device as a clothes hamper, obviously, it can be used for many other purposes. In the drawings I show the bands I9 as extending around both of the frame legs. If desired, such bands may extend around only one of thelegs, or if two bands are used at each side, one band may be used in conjunction with each of the legs. Regardless of this construction, however, care must be exercised to permit the removal of the bands from the leg or legs when the bag is removed for certain purposes. Therefore, unless the band embraces the leg below the pivot point I2, the band should be detachable at one end by a suitable fastening means, such as a glove snap fastener.Y

If the bag is constructed in accordance with This is especially true when l the disclosure in Fig. 1, the band will move slidably over the legs both laterally and longitudinally thereon. For this reason, as is clearly disf* I in the bag.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my clothes or like hamper without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention rto cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

Iclaim: j 1. A`A portable clothes basket of the type wherein two inverted U-shaped frame members are pivoted together at an intermediate point in their respective legs and may be collapsed or opened to support a flexible bag member having two opposite top ends secured to the center portions of said U-shaped frame members respectively; said portable clothes basket characterized by having said opposite upper ends of its flexible bag secured to the center portions of said U-shaped frame, and a band secured at each end to one end of said flexible bag and with said bag loosely and slidably embracing the leg portions of said U-shaped frame members adjacent the same end of said ilexible bag to which said band is secured whereby the frame members may be placed in open or collapsed condition without affecting the capacity of the lower portion of the bag, and whereby the flexible bag is retained by the band in substantially a centrally located position between the opposite pairs of legs of the frame members when the frame is collapsed and the unit is carried by grasping the frame members overlapped by the said band.

v2. A portable clothes basket of the type wherein two inverted U-shaped frame members are pivoted together at an intermediate point in their 'respective legs and may be collapsed or opened A,is secured whereby the frame members may be placed in open or collapsed condition without affecting the capacity of the lower portion of the bag,- and whereby the flexible bag is retained by the band in substantially a centrally located position between the opposite pairs of legs of the frame members when the frame is collapsed and the unit is c arried by grasping the frame members overlapped by the said band, and whereby the bag may be removed from the frame by detaching its upper end and sliding the same downwardly on the frame until the said band clears the lower end of the leg members it normally overlaps.

HERBERT HIEB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 526,249 Meeker Sept. 18, 1894 694,289 y Langston Feb. 25, 1902 2,044,517 Thomas June 15, 1936 2,384,873 Barksdale Sept. 18, 1945 2,421,751 Giordano June l0, 1947 2,467,900 Maine Apr. 19, 1949 

